Braves hammer helpless Dice-K

ATLANTA — Daisuke Matsuzaka realizes his poor results in three starts with the Mets could jeopardize his spot in the rotation. Even so, it appears the right-hander will be given at least one more chance.

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By The Associated Press

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By The Associated Press

Posted Sep. 3, 2013 at 2:00 AM

By The Associated Press

Posted Sep. 3, 2013 at 2:00 AM

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ATLANTA — Daisuke Matsuzaka realizes his poor results in three starts with the Mets could jeopardize his spot in the rotation. Even so, it appears the right-hander will be given at least one more chance.

Matsuzaka allowed six runs in only three innings as Freddie Freeman and the Braves beat the Mets 13-5 on Monday.

Freeman homered, doubled and tied a career high with five RBI in the first two innings.

Matsuzaka (0-3), who gave up seven hits with two walks, has a 10.95 ERA in three starts since signing with the Mets.

"Looking at the way I pitched today, if I'm told that this is my last start then that's something that I'll have to accept," Matsuzaka said through a translator. "You guys saw the results. I'm very disappointed in myself today."

Mets manager Terry Collins said he plans to stick with Matsuzaka but said the right-hander must pitch deeper into games.

"There's no reason why we probably don't run him out there again," Collins said. "He's got to keep going. He's got to keep battling. He's got to get going for us because we've got a lot more games to play this month and he's going to be a part of those games right now.

"We need him for innings and that's why we got him."

The Mets, who lost at Washington on Sunday night, arrived at their team hotel in Atlanta about 4 a.m. Monday. That left players only a few hours to sleep before the bus trip to Turner Field for the 1:10 p.m. start.

Matsuzaka, 32, released by Cleveland on Aug. 20 and signed with the Mets two days later., is 0-7 in his last eight starts since Sept. 2, 2012, with Boston. Matsuzaka said he needs more consistency with his pitches.

"The difference between my good pitches and my bad pitches was too big and that's something that's needs to change," he said.

Freeman has thrived against Mets pitching this season, hitting .349 (23-of-66) with five homers and 16 RBI. For his career, he has 11 homers and 42 RBI against the Mets, his best totals against any opponent.

Freeman put the Braves ahead with a two-run double off Matsuzaka in the first inning. Freeman made it 6-1 with a three-run homer in the second.

Josh Satin hit two doubles for the Mets. Matsuzaka had an RBI single in the second. Zach Lutz had a pinch-hit double in the Mets' two-run fourth.